Composer Of The Week

• Updated:
  Weekly
• Average duration:
  55 minutes

Recent episodes (9)

• Moszkowski 27th November 2009

  Fri, 27 Nov 09

  Duration:
  59 mins

  This week Donald Macleod uncovers the life and music of a largely forgotten composer, Moritz Moszkowski (1854-1925). A brilliant pianist, Moszkowski was forced to retire from performing early in his career due to a nervous disorder, but went on to become one of the most successful composers of his day of lighter salon music, becoming known as ‘the sunshine composer’.

  Download 54MB (right click & "save target as")

• Purcell's Contemporaries 20th November 2009

  Fri, 20 Nov 09

  Duration:
  52 mins

  Donald Macleod introduces the composers of Restoration England who, from today’s perspective, stand in the shadow of the greatest composer of the era, Henry Purcell.

  Download 48MB (right click & "save target as")

• Satie 13th November 2009

  Fri, 13 Nov 09

  Duration:
  65 mins

  This week, Donald Macleod is “looking for Erik” …revealing a career far more varied – and serious – than you might ever expect. He takes us from Satie’s roots on the sleepy Normandy coast, through his apprenticeship in the boozy dives of Montmartre (where he met Claude Debussy, one of his closest friends), the composer’s tempestuous, poverty-riddled affair with the artist Suzanne Valadon, to his startling decision to go back to music school – at the tender age of 39! By the end of his life, this one-time renegade had become the toast of the musical establishment, working with legends like Picasso, Cocteau and the director René Clair – and invented ‘furniture music’ – an early form of muzak.

  Download 60MB (right click & "save target as")

• Nielsen 6th November 2009

  Fri, 6 Nov 09

  Duration:
  54 mins

  Through his work as conductor, teacher, writer and composer, Carl Nielsen became the most influential Danish musician of his time. He came from modest beginnings on the island of Funen where he got his first proper job, aged 14, as a military musician. This week Donald Macleod explores some of Nielsen’s popular works, such as the choral piece ‘Springtime in Funen’, his Wind Quintet, the witty Flute Concerto, highlights from his two operas ‘Saul and David’ and ‘Maskarade, and takes in some of his lesser known piano, choral and chamber music along the way.

  Download 50MB (right click & "save target as")

• Musorgsky 30th October 2009

  Fri, 30 Oct 09

  Duration:
  47 mins

  Modest Musorgsky was a true musical radical; so radical, in fact, that his immediate contemporaries failed to recognize the full extent of his talent. They regarded his work as brilliant but flawed – full of ‘mistakes’ that cried out for correction by more sophisticated musical intelligences. This week, Donald Macleod explores the life and work of this troubled genius, whose life – and work – were cut cruelly short by chronic alcohol poisoning.

  Download 43MB (right click & "save target as")

• Kurt Weill 23rd October 2009

  Fri, 23 Oct 09

  Duration:
  65 mins

  Donald Macleod assesses Weill’s music in historical context, beginning with the early influences he experienced in Dessau as the son of the local cantor, soaking up the theatrical experiences of Wagner at the local opera house. His first engagement with politics can been seen in his first symphony, a nod musically speaking to Schoenberg, and his lifelong attraction to poetry finds an outlet in a cycle of songs based on German medieval poetry.

  Download 59MB (right click & "save target as")

• Strauss 16th October 2009

  Fri, 16 Oct 09

  Duration:
  45 mins

  Donald Macleod tells the story of the German composer and conductor Richard Strauss (1864-1949). Born soon after the deaths of Wagner and Brahms, Strauss was quickly hailed in his youthful fame as 'the outstanding living composer'.

  Download 42MB (right click & "save target as")

• JC Bach 12th October 2009

  Fri, 9 Oct 09

  Duration:
  53 mins

  Donald Macleod introduces music and stories from the life of Johann Christian Bach, these days best known as the youngest son of JS Bach, but in his day, the most famous Bach of all. Please note this is the correct podcast.

  Download 49MB (right click & "save target as")

• Bohuslav Martinu 2nd October 2009

  Fri, 2 Oct 09

  Duration:
  56 mins

  Donald Macleod on the life and works of the 20th century Czech composer. He was educated in the Romantic style but embraced the avant-garde as a composer, taking influence from jazz and neo-classicism.

  Download 51MB (right click & "save target as")

Play recent episodes